QuietComfort 35 II vs WH-1000XM4
Audio · 2,507 owner opinions across both productsA close call.
Reddit rates both Risky Buy. The split is what you want: the QuietComfort 35 II — buy only if you prioritize all-day comfort and reliable noise cancellation on a budget. The WH-1000XM4 — buy only if you prioritize sound quality and noise cancellation and can accept the reliability trade-off. Today's gap is $81: $298 for the WH-1000XM4 against $379 for the QuietComfort 35 II.
Built from 2,507 owner opinions across both products · 417 long-term reports · how we decide
What owners say
58% would buy againof 1,387 owners
First 6 months 55% → long-term 74%+19of 270 long-term owners
49% would buy againof 1,120 owners
First 6 months 43% → long-term 69%+26of 147 long-term owners
What you’ll regret
No single component dominates
~1 in 3 long-term owner reports describe a failure — primarily the power switch, Bluetooth connectivity, and battery — typically surfacing between 12 and 73 months in. Of tracked warranty outcomes, 89 were resolved and 69 were not, so results lean resolved but a meaningful share lands outside coverage. Failure rate is about typical for wireless headphones: the category baseline is 24% serious failures versus 25% here.
Typically reported months 12–72 · 270 long-term owners
The charging
~1 in 3 long-term reports mention a failure, most commonly charging (26 reports) and hinge (12 reports), typically appearing within the first 25 months. Of warranty outcomes reported, 55 were unresolved versus 12 resolved — most failures appear to land outside warranty coverage.
Typically reported months 1–24 · 147 long-term owners
These are the share of long-term owner reports that mention a failure, not the share of units that fail — owners with working units mostly don’t post.
Price and value
Gap today: $81 — WH-1000XM4 is the cheaper buy.
Price links carry an affiliate tag. It never changes the verdict.
long-haul travel comfort and build durability matter more than pristine audio fidelity.
sound quality and noise cancellation matter more to you than long-term reliability.
Long-term durability is your first priority — both carry a real failure record, and the Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 (77% would buy again, $749) does not.
Questions people ask about this matchup
Which is better, the QuietComfort 35 II or the WH-1000XM4?
Reddit rates both Risky Buy. The split is what you want: the QuietComfort 35 II — buy only if you prioritize all-day comfort and reliable noise cancellation on a budget. The WH-1000XM4 — buy only if you prioritize sound quality and noise cancellation and can accept the reliability trade-off.
Which is more reliable, the QuietComfort 35 II or the WH-1000XM4?
Closer than the verdicts suggest: 25% of long-term QuietComfort 35 II reports mention a serious failure against 29% for the WH-1000XM4 — a gap within noise. Warranty outcomes differ more: 18% of WH-1000XM4 claims were resolved against 56% for the QuietComfort 35 II.
Is the QuietComfort 35 II worth $81 more than the WH-1000XM4?
At $379 against $298 today, the QuietComfort 35 II costs 27% more and carries the same verdict tier.
QuietComfort 35 II full verdict →WH-1000XM4 full verdict →All Audio verdicts →